darkmirrorfandomcom-20200214-history
Bloodletter Spores
Bloodletter spores are a highly infectious and deadly parasitic spore which modifies it's environment to promote growth of further spores. Bloodletter spores start, logically, as spores. They are incredibly hardy organisms, small and largely undetectable in small quantities. They are able to survive with zero light and no air for nearly indefinite periods of time; going into a form of stasis until exposed to an atmosphere again. At that point they "wake up" and become airborne. Bloodletter spores are able to grow nearly anywhere given the energy to do so, and can absorb heat to fuel their growth. Most disturbingly, however, bloodletter spores can easily take root inside living beings, which leads rapidly to the next stage of their life cycle. Infection and growth Stage one thumb|left|Bloodletter spores at roughly 200x magnification . Once rooted inside a host organism, bloodletter spores begin a rapid series of changes. Their aggressive nature and a latent capability to reprogram other cells ala viruses means that the host's immune system is useless. The spores rapidly begin growing, working their way from the lungs to the heart and from there throughout the entire bloodstream. Stage two Roughly twenty four hours after infection, the host will begin to have respiratory issues from the spore structures choking their lungs. These structures are dense and similar to roots, growing like a secondary ribcage around the lungs and heart. Meanwhile, a shoot will begin to grow upwards, along the spine. Somewhere from four to ten hours after respiratory problems begin, acute pain in the chest and neck will be noticed. Stage three Approximately thirty hours after infection, a massive growth spurt triggers. The root cage expands explosively, having stored energy in it's structure until now to allow for this. Growths thus sprout from the torso and cause massive damage to major organs. The inside of this cage is then filled with a spongy mass of biochemical transmitters resembling a brain. Meanwhile, the shoot that grew through the neck spears upwards into the skull and consumes all internal tissues, sprouting sensory organs in place of the previous ones. Final stage With the host dead and their tissues rapidly consumed by the bloodletter spores, the root structure forms around the remaining bones and begins sprouting off mushroom-like growths, culminating with large caps forming atop the head, shoulders, and back. They will also generate various natural weapons, ranging from claws to elastic, barbed vines. Rooting After fully infecting and transforming their hosts, bloodletter spores begin to mature further. The form will grow larger and more powerful until the original traits of the host are no longer visible. Eventually it will set down roots and become immobile, blossoming into a sort of fungal tree. These trees will release great deals of active spores from their caps and slowly grow to cover vast areas. Additionally, they are known to generate vast amounts of heat to stimulate the rapid growth of these spores. Behaviour Bloodletter spores are naturally predatory and aggressive, hunting down what they perceive as threats and eliminating them. This also serves to spread their infection through the injection of spore matter through wounds. In the majority of cases an infected only takes interest in finding an ideal territorial area for it to take residence in, eventually leading to it rooting and further spreading the spores. Infected can also potentially be educated if properly suppressed from further growth, but the results of this can be exceptionally dangerous. Category:Species Category:Parasites Category:Plants Category:Science Fiction